Kentucky Head Coach Matthew Mitchell

Opening Statement:

We’re really happy to win this game today. Middle Tennessee is a really tough team with a great crowd. So I’m really proud of Kentucky and how we played today to overcome every bit of adversity that came our way and we’re really going to enjoy this win. This will be a very valuable win for our team going forward and hopefully will help us get to where we want to be at the end of the year.

On coming out today strong after a big win over Lipscomb:

We had a big win on Thursday and what you don’t want to do is become complacent and think you’ve arrived. We had some good practices the end of this week and really tried to get mentally prepared for this game but we also wanted to make sure we had our legs under us because we knew it’d be a tough game today. Middle Tennessee is a really tough team and they’re going to have a great season. And I think it was important for us to establish some early momentum and let them know we were ready to play today.

On not letting Middle Tennessee get a big run:

The difference between this game and last the two is we got off to such a better start. Therefore we weren’t digging ourselves out of a big hole the whole game and half to fight back. I told my team that this would not be a 40-point blowout, this was going to be a tough game and to come in here and beat them by 12 on their home court makes me really happy about this one.

On Ebony Rowe:

She works for 40 minutes and it’s a difficult matchup for our scheme. We’re spread out a lot because we don’t double-team a lot and Middle Tennessee usually has so many good three-pointer shooters, that it’s difficult task for us. We don’t pack it in and stand in the lane, or double-team post players much so we just have to play Kentucky basketball. Today we tried to have her stop catching the ball and that was really hard to do. But we were able to make enough plays to get the job done.

On what makes this game so fun:

It’s really fun because you have a contrast in stiles. We’re a team that likes to get everyone involved and they’re a team that likes to get it to a specific player. So it’s a contrast in stiles and I believe that’s what makes it fun. And they’ve had a lot more fun the last couple years than we have so we’re really going to enjoy this one this year.

Kentucky Student-Athletes

Senior Guard Kastine Evans

On playing in front of a tough Murphy Center crowd:

I think it’s how well-coached they are. They battle all the time. I was here two years ago when we lost and you could just see the atmosphere here and they really take pride in winning here. They’re like us, they take a lot of pride in playing at home and that’s what makes it so tough.

On making the big shots today:

I think I’m just taking the open shot. If that’s the best shot out of the offense for our team then I’m going to take it. I think a lot of players are doing that. I also think our guards staying aggressive has really helped us this season.

Junior Guard Bria Goss

On overcoming the first half foul trouble:

Coach just told us to not worry about the calls, to worry about Kentucky and what Kentucky was doing. That’s just part of the adversity that we went through tonight and I think we responded very well to it in the second half.

Senior Forward Samarie Walker

On the timeout after Middle Tennessee’s big second half run:

Coach told us to not worry about what they’re doing and worry about what we were doing, to keep playing our game. We had to fight through it and win the next four minutes.

On playing against Ebony Rowe:

It’s a lot of fun playing against her. It’s always a challenge, she’s a great player, and I like playing against players like that.